American Council of Christian Churches
85th Annual Convention, October 20-22, 2026
Bible Presbyterian Church of Collingswood, NJ
Resolution on Mormonism
In 1820, Joseph Smith, Jr. claimed to have received a divine revelation declaring that the historic Christian church had fallen into apostasy and that God had appointed him to restore the true church.1 These claims eventually gave rise to the religious movement known as Mormonism, formally organized as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.2 Since then, Mormonism has cultivated a reputation for wholesomeness through its emphasis on family, morality, missionary service, and personal discipline, leading many to regard it as another Christian denomination or a distinctly American form of Christianity. Mormon leaders likewise identify themselves as Christians and increasingly pursue cultural, political, religious, and humanitarian cooperation with Christians.3
Recent developments in “Christian” entertainment have only added to this growing confusion. The television series The Chosen was initially developed and distributed through a close partnership with Angel Studios, a Utah-based media company founded by Latter-day Saint (LDS) entrepreneurs. Angel Studios itself states that it was “instrumental in the founding” and early success of the series.4 Although The Chosen is not an official LDS production and its contractual relationship with Angel Studios ended in May 2024, such close cooperation nevertheless risks obscuring the profound doctrinal gulf between Mormonism and biblical Christianity.
Several of Mormonism’s central doctrines demonstrate how radically it departs from biblical Christianity. Concerning the nature of God, Mormonism teaches that God was once a man, that humans may themselves become gods,5 and that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate divine beings united chiefly in purpose.6 Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, teaches that there is only one God, uncreated and unchanging, and that the one true God eternally exists in three coequal and coeternal Persons ‒ the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Ps. 90:2; Isa. 43:10; 44:6, 8; Mal. 3:6; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 1:1-3; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:14).
Concerning divine revelation, Mormonism recognizes the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price as Scripture alongside the Bible and teaches continuing revelation through its living prophets.7 Biblical Christianity, by contrast, receives the sixty-six books of Scripture as the complete and sufficient written revelation of God and rejects all claims to new special revelation beyond the biblical canon (Isa. 8:20; Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 1:1-2; Jude 3; Rev. 22:18-19).
Concerning salvation, Mormonism teaches that ordinances, covenants, obedience, and continued faithfulness are necessary for “salvation and exaltation,” thereby adding human requirements to the finished work of Christ. Biblical Christianity, however, teaches that sinners are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, “not by works of righteousness which we have done” (Rom. 3:20-28; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9; Titus 3:5). Mormonism must therefore be identified not as a denomination within Christianity, but as a false religious system. It presents another god, another Jesus, and another way of salvation and is consequently “another gospel,” which is “not another,” but a perversion of the Gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Cor. 11:4).
Therefore, the American Council of Christian Churches at its 85th annual convention, October 20-22, 2026, at the Bible Presbyterian Church of Collingswood, NJ, resolves to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3), hold fast “the form of sound words” (2 Tim. 1:13), and remain vigilant against false teaching (Matt. 7:15; Rom. 16:17). We will reject error, speak “the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), and faithfully proclaim the true Christ and His Gospel to those deceived by Mormonism, praying that God will grant them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 2:24-26).
1 This falsehood is propagated in 1 Nephi 13:26-42 from the Book of Mormon.
2 https://carm.org/mormonisms-history-smith
3 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/christians
4 https://www.angel.com/blog/angel-studios/posts/statement-on-the-chosen-and-angel-studios
5 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/king-follett-discourse
6 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/article/do-latter-day-saints-believe-in-the-trinity
7 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm
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